Detroit (DTW) to Boston (BOS): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DTW to BOS matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in March 2025 to just 61% in July 2026. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 7.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 58m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 632 mi
Best airline from DTW to BOS
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 16 min | 2.4% | 493 |
| Delta Air Lines | 76% | 17 min | 1.5% | 3,581 |
| JetBlue Airways | 75% | 24 min | 2.5% | 1,555 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to BOS
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 22 min |
| Friday | 74% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 26 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft27%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system35%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to BOS delayed?
- 24% of DTW–BOS flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to BOS?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 493 flights. 3 airlines flew DTW–BOS frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to BOS?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to BOS?
- The scheduled DTW–BOS flight time averages 1h 58m over 632 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are DTW to BOS flights cancelled?
- 1.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DTW to BOS?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2025 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from DTW
Other ways to fly to Boston (BOS)
Related guides
Based on 5,642 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.